Case File 2: Dichotomy

Time and time again I find myself sitting in this office thinking about what I actually do in this world. I'm ridiculed by normal society, the dirge of the underworld, and not to mention the constant threats from the super natural community. The office was closing in on me. I needed some work. It had been a few days since I tracked down my last mark, and more than a week without a case. The office was technological void. I was working off a DOS computer, a rotary phone, and a filing cabinet that was over flowing case reviews and anonymous hints written on everything from the forms I came up with a few years ago to cocktail napkins with stains on them. I practically lived here. A small mini fridge and black and white television kept from actually having to go home. Not to mention Xeroes.

"Meow", he was a cat that I had found outside of a Chinese restaurant about a year back. The place was a front for some sociopaths who were trafficking exotic cuisine for the local fang bangers. I had finished my business for the night when I found him. It was a rainy night and all he was doing was crying on the curb. Something told me that I should take him with me. That something had apparently lived with the cat before and was more than willing to give him up. Since the cat has been living here, my food budget went through the roof.

"What do you want Xeroes?" I questioned him because he made noise when he wanted something.

"Mew", He hopped up on the desk and stared me in the face.

"Listen, you all ready have food in that dish over there. The fish in the fridge is for me, and you aren't getting any of it." He looked at me with a defiant stare.

"Grrrr", the growl was low, but loud enough for him to get his point across.

"Fine, I'll cut you a deal. If we get a case today, then you can have the fish. I won't have time to eat it then. But don't get your hopes up. We haven't had a case in quite some…" I was interrupted by a knock at my door. At first I thought about acting like I hadn't heard it. I hadn't eaten anything other than Cup-O-Noodles for more than a week and that fish was just calling to me. Xeroes just curled up into a ball and gave me a smug sneer. I guess I would go hungry today.

"Come on in." I invited him in as walked over to the mini fridge to give the cat his prize. He leapt off the table to claim it. I sat back down as the client walked in. He was a young man in his twenties. He wore a brown leather jacket and trendy clothes underneath. He looked like the typical college student with his hair greased to stand straight up and a soul patch. He looked a little flustered when he walked in past the coat rack and mirror. It didn't strike me as odd, if you came into my office calmly, I would think something was wrong.

"What can I do you for mister…?" I hesitated so he could answer. He was in a cold sweat and paranoid. He kept looking around the room like something was going to jump through the wall at him.

"Uh…Drake. My name is Drake." His right leg was shaking up and down in a nervous twitch. He rubbed the back of his neck. When he reached up to his neck I noticed the handle of a large knife holstered in the small of his back. I sat up from the relaxed position I had been in and readied myself just in case this kid had inklings of attacking me. All of a sudden he stood up prompting me to match his movements. "This is stupid. I'm sorry I wasted your time. Have a good one Mr. Locke."

He made his way to the door talking to himself the whole way. I would've let him walk out the door right there if I was smart, but brains ain't everything right. Before he could make his way out the door, I shut and then presented the seat back to him. He sat back down and I offered him a cigarette. He took a drag on and nearly coughed up a lung. It brought a smile to my face.

"What can I do for you Drake?" I said it so he would know that I wasn't messing around.

"Well…you are the guy who kills all of the vampires right?" He looked at me longingly like he had never heard of a vampire before and I was the only one who knew anything about them. "My friends told me about you once. They were going to punk you. They said that you were some kind of lunatic or something." Well that explains why my car gas tank was filled with Jell-O last month.

"And that brings you to my doorstep now because…?" He looked at me with a grin. It was the calmest he had been since he stepped through the door.

"Now this going to sound crazy," Try me. "But I think that I'm being stalked. The last few nights I have had the feeling that someone has been following me. The next morning something bad has happened. I want it to stop." I could tell the kid wasn't lying. There was a certain sincerity in his eyes that any perceptive person could see.

"Why do you think it's a vamp? Couldn't it be some girl who you used just trying to get another chance?" I said while lighting up another Lucky Strike.

"I don't know. Just something about the situation doesn't feel right. You know what I mean?" He said while losing himself in his thought.

"More than you know kid. Let me take a look into it around the city. You have any way of me getting a hold of yah." He wrote down his cell phone number a walked out. I sat back at the desk where two things occurred to me. One, that I hadn't discussed any terms of payment with the kid, and two, this indeed didn't feel right.

I took a little bit of time to take down what had happened moments earlier and decided to hit the streets. There was only one place that I could go to get the information that I needed, The Tap. It was a seedy dive bar also in the strip that not many dared go into. Not because of its bad history, oh and it is bad, mostly because it is made to look intimidating to anyone doesn't know what it is truly for. It was a watering hole for the world of the super natural. It wasn't uncommon to have a vampire, a hunter, and demon all in bar at once. It wasn't the eclectic group of people that brought me there, it was the fact that I knew he would be there.

I pulled up outside and took the normal spot across the street. As I walked into the bar, I could see some people looking at me on the street. People were probably appalled that someone would actually be going into this place. As came through the door the familiar dankness that made this place earn its title of "Hole" came streaking into my vision, smell, and even taste. The bar lined the entire wall to the right of the door. Behind the bar was, to the best of my knowledge, the only employee who works here, Constance. He always stood in the same place half down the bar perpetually cleaning a glass with a rag. He wore basically a tuxedo without the jacket, cummerbund, and bow tie. His undershirt was a pristine white and pants, vest, and shoes were black. He was an older gentleman probably in his fifties, with a short white thinning hair. The only defining feature on face was a white thin mustache. He had a slim build, yet none of the haunts who came into the place messed with him. Other than the bar, there was a pool table, a television behind the bar that seemed to nice for a place like this, booths, and tables with chairs at them for seating. The person I was looking for was sitting in the back at a table facing the entrance.

The man's name was Trenton Banks. He was my info man. Anytime I couldn't find it, he would…for a price. He had contacts in the criminal underworld and the supernatural. He's almost more trouble than he's worth. Being in his fifties doesn't help him when he is threatened. Not to mention his stinginess. I've had to bail him out on more than one occasion. He sat there smug behind his underground paper with the white print and black paper. He knew I had come through the door. That's the reason he sat the way he did. So no one could sneak up on him and so he could get the low down on everything in the bar. I caught a slight reflection of light off of the slicked back black hair as I sat down across the table from him. He didn't actually look at me even though he had a slight grin on his face. The fact that I needed some information didn't escape him. I sat for a few moments as Constance brought over my normal order, a double whiskey neat. Trenton folded over the paper that he had probably read three times all ready today, and took a sip of his mint julep.

"So Locke, what is it that you need me for this time?" He still hadn't looked at me. He just faced forward with a grin on his face.

"I had this kid come into my office earlier today. He has this thought that he's being followed and need some facts on the kid first." I said while watching sports highlights on the television. The pirates lost again.

"Forget that. I have a more pressing matter that needs to be concluded." He slid a manila folder across the table. I started leafing through it as he started explaining. "A few nights ago a call came across the police radio that sounded up your alley. From what I could gather, there was a mass murder that took place inside of a church. I don't many of the details, but I do know that the same event took place two nights ago and again last night at the Holy Ghost Byzantine Catholic Church down on Olivia."

"Well, I guess the kid will have to wait. Keep me updated on anything that you get for this one." I finished off my drink and started for the door. "Oh yeah, normal fees apply for this job."

"You still owe me for the information from last time." He yelled it as the door shut behind me.

It wasn't a hard decision on which case I should actually work. The kid would just have to deal with his invisible stalker on his own. It only took a few minutes to get down to the church. Yellow tape was put all around the premises as the police did their investigation. Luckily the police officers that were placed on duty outside of the church were more infatuated with the lover's quarrel that was taking place out front. As I walked in the first thing that jumped out at me was the fact that pews were red. Yeah there was a wonderful archway on the back wall that had glorious pictures of Jesus and angels and other religious things. I didn't really have faith thus my fascination with the bright red benches. Before I could get a chance to examine the salmon long stools, Detective Childress was making a B line for me. Rebecca to her friends, Detective Childress to me. She had her mad face on. She was an attractive woman with short brown hair and green eyes. At the moment she was wearing short leather jacket with a t-shirt underneath and some tight jeans. It could make you melt if you weren't careful. She was one of the few people in the department who didn't consider me a whack job…though she wasn't really happy with me after I stormed into the police station and accused the chief of police of being spirit reddened. I was working a hunch.

"What the hell are you doing here? The last time you showed up a crime scene they chased you away gun a blazing. You can't just show up here like this. My career is on the line…" I stopped listening when she brought up the guns being fired at me. That's what happens when you have served as much time as I have whether it is on record or not. "...just tell me why you are here."

"Well, it seems that some people think this might be more than it seems. I would appreciate it if you could help me out." I pried while looking around the room trying to take in what I could before I was escorted out.

"No. Not after you chased the chief across all of the desks in the precinct yelling something about this is not your realm. You need to go." She started go past to bring my escort here. I cut her off in the isle.

"You know I didn't want to do this, but…" She tightened up with anticipation as her police instinct started kicking in. I could see her readying her hand to pull out a pistol. "… if you give me the info I need, I'll take you out for a night on the town." She nearly hit the floor like one of the cartoon characters from Japan."

"You wish…" She stared at me and started to realize that I wasn't leaving without any information. "Fine. I'll give some information, but this is the last time. Come into the rectory."

"We haven't even had our first date yet I don't think it would be appropriate for to "Come in your rectory". That's just…" I was stopped by the sight of a fresh coating of paint. Amongst the blood covered walls were pelts. Human pelts. They were hung in the air as the flayed victim, a nun, laid on the floor with all of her muscle exposed. The were little stutter marks all over her body showing that she was alive when this was done. In the corner, the priest had been tied to a chair and was forced to watch. Not a drop of blood was on the floor near his body.

"This is what was found this morning. The nun was still alive apparently when she was found, but died before she could be tended to. This is the same scene that has taken place the past three nights. The killer has skinned a nun and forced a priest to watch at three separate churches. The guy gets off on it." She clarified what I could see for myself.

"Guy?" I questioned.

"I don't think a woman could do this." She said as body language said that all men were pigs.

"I didn't question the gender." I said thinking that this is the work of something else.

"What's that supp…" I interrupted her before she has the chance to finish.

"Have you taken a blood sample yet?" She didn't look happy with my skating of the subject.

"Not sure. The CSI squad has already come and gone. Why?" This was the first time I had actually peeked her curiosity. It's too bad that I didn't have time to relish in it.

"Good. Then I won't ruin any thing." I took out a butterfly knife and cut into the priest's jugular.

"What are you doing?" She screamed out loud and tried to pull me away. The deed had already been done though. "Why would you do that? This is just like you. You come in and get me in hot water, then just run off…" She stopped with the pointing of my finger. The cut I put into the man's neck wasn't bleeding at all. He was dry. "How is that possible?"

"Maybe I'll tell you some day, but until then I have to rain check our date." She turned around to see nothing but the back door closing and the breeze pushing around some paperwork. I got into car and went back to the office. On the way I got a call from Trenton.

"What do you have for me?" I didn't even say hello. The sun had set and the hunting was about to get a lot harder.

"Well, from what I can gather, the name of the killer is called the Ripper." It sounded like he was reading off a fact sheet.

"You mean like Jack the Ripper?" I couldn't be.

"Even worse. Jack the Ripper was named after this guy. He has been a sleep for a while now. Must of just woken up. Well that's all I got." A beeping sound came into the receiver as he hung up.

"Hello. Sorry we are not excepting any new cases at the time" A familiar voice interrupted me.

"Mr. Locke? It's me Drake. I need you to come meet me now. I'm being followed again." He sounded panicked.

"Listen Drake. I am on a very…" I was interrupted again.

"I need your help right now! Please just meet me." The silence was only broken by his whimpering.

"Fine. Where are you?" I couldn't believe it.

"Down in the strip near the international market. Please hurry." He hung up abruptly.

I turned back around towards the other end of the strip. I needed to take care of this situation quick so I could back to actual work. I parked right outside of the market. He wasn't in immediate sight and it irritated me. I should just cut this kid loose and refer him to Rebecca. I was about leave when I thought I caught sight of him down the road near the church. He was walking inside. The kid must've been scared enough to pray. The St. Stanislaus Kostka Church was a big church around here. When I walked in I saw him at the end of isle in front of an altar, his back turned towards me.

"Hey kid" He turned around and revealed his recent kill. A priest was laid up on the altar with his throat cut. Drake drew the blade up to his mouth and licked the blood off. "The Ripper I presume. So you were playing me from the start."

"No, my dear Paranormal P.I. I'm just in a constant struggle for control. You see this one you spoke with earlier is stronger than you would think even without the knowledge of his vampiric powers. So I fall to the background until I feel the need to come out…and I've always had a thing for ruining churches." He used solarion, a fast movement that many vampires can use, to get behind me. "I guess I can take you out as well."

He took a swing at head with some claws. I dropped to the ground to avoid the attack to only get kicked in the gut sending me sliding down the isle. My head hit off of something and water splashed down onto my jacket. I stood up and turned my back.

"You are bold Mr. Locke, I will give you that. No wonder Drake looks up to you." I could hear him starting his charge down the isle way. I turned around to his dismay with a hand cross bow at the ready. I always keep a trump card in my jacket and the tip of the bolt has just been blessed in holy water.

The shot flew through the air and hit him in the center of his chest. He stood straight up in the air dead in his tracks. His hands clutched the bolt unable to pull it out for fear of further injury. I watched as twitched around on his feet. He then stopped and stared at me. In one eye I pure malice. Pure hatred produced by the want to kill me. In the other, confusion. Tears rolled from that eye as Drake tried to come to grips with why I would attack him. The body started to turn to dust. The long lasting image of the pair of eyes burned into my mind.

But in the long run, it needed done. And it was just business.